Theodotus as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Theodotus

What is the meaning of the name Theodotus ?

The baby name Theodotus is a Male name , 4 syllables long and is pronounced /ˌθiːəˈdoʊtəs/ (thee-uh-DOH-tus).

Theodotus is Greek in Origin.

Theodotus is a classical Greek masculine name, from Greek Theodotos (Θεόδοτος), formed by theos “god” and dotos “given” (from didōmi “to give”), meaning “God-given” or “given by God.” The Latinized form Theodotus entered ecclesiastical records across the Roman and Byzantine worlds, paralleling, but distinct from, Theodoros (“gift of God”).

The name was borne by several early Christians and bishops, including Theodotus of Ancyra (martyr), Theodotus of Byzantium (2nd‑century theologian), and Theodotus of Laodicea, supporting its popularity in Late Antiquity and the Byzantine era. Variants include Greek Theodotos, Church Slavonic Feodot/Fedot, Italian Teodoto, and the feminine Theodote/Theodota; related forms are Theodore, Theodora, and Dorotheus/Dorothy (with the elements reversed). Diminutives such as Theo occur in English and other languages. Today Theodotus is rare in the Anglophone world but persists in Orthodox and Greek-speaking communities, and occasionally appears as a surname.

⚙ Theodotus is absent from every birth registry and name dataset we follow. Most often that means a rare name, a regional or heritage one, or a recent coinage. By any reading, it's an exceptionally uncommon choice.